I'm sorry to hear about your experience. That is dispicable.

I also have luggage tags; they don't look like guns, but some clown could possibly mistake them as a hand grenade!

I hope some of the TSA'ers weigh in to clarify policy; should the screener have gone out of sight with your passport? Should they have removed your bag form sight? Should the cop have unpacked your bag in public?

Even after they determined that they goofed (I agree -- better safe than sorry; but when wrong -- handle things gracefully for crying out loud!) did they appologize for the hassle? Did they say "well Sir, something looked like a gun so we had to check more carefully"? Or did they continue to intimidate you and threaten you with missing your flight?

I for one subscribe to "innocent until proven guilty" and the treatment you endured was wrong. There are probably some cop types on this board who think you should have been put in cuffs until proven innocent.

A better way for that situation to have been handled: "Sir, please wait here (while my peers watch you) we need to further examine the contents of your bag. (cop comes and unpacks discretely) ... Ok sir; we have resolved our concerns; have a pleasant trip."